Foods Rich in Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)

Vitamin B1, better know as thiamin, is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin. Vitamin B1 was isolated and characterized in the 1920s, and thus was one of the first organic compounds to be recognized as a vitamin.

Vitamin B1 is involved in numerous body functions, including: nervous system and muscle functioning; flow of electrolytes in and out of nerve and muscle cells; multiple enzyme processes; carbohydrate metabolism; and production of hydrochloric acid. Because there is very little vitamin B1 stored in the body, depletion can occur as quickly as within 14 days.

Severe chronic vitamin B1 deficiency (beriberi) can result in potentially serious complications involving the nervous system, muscles, heart, and gastrointestinal system.

Foods rich in vitamin B1 include dried brewer's yeast, legumes (beans, lentils), peanuts, bacon, oatmeal, cabbage, milk, liver and kidneys. In industrialized countries, because the naturally occurring vitamin B1 is lost during the refinement process, foods made with white rice or white flour are often fortified with vitamin B1.